"Orjan visited our entrepreneurial operations in the past and applied for the position for the Savannah region," said Chris Downing, director of industry services with the institute. "And he fit the bill. He has a unique blend of both entrepreneurial and business start-up experience combined with an engineering background."

Downing said he was not permitted to divulge Isacson's salary.

Since the institute was created in 2005, about 15 companies have graduated from the program, Downing said. One of those, Jacket Micro Devices, develops technology for emerging wireless and broadband applications.

Isacson, 59, is charged with continuing the task of fostering innovation between educational institutions and businesses so those companies can benefit from local research and development.

Making the manufacturing industry more efficient will be one of Isacson's primary objectives.

"The coastal region is expanding in the tourist sector, but manufacturing is disappearing," Isacson said. "What you need is knowledge-based companies. We also need to innovate the manufacturing sector to compete."

Isacson was charged with a similar task in Sweden, a country now respected around the world for its technology development programs. As CEO of Connect Sweden, Isacson oversaw 23 of the organization's offices in the country.

Connect helped develop about 1,100 start-ups in Sweden since it was created in 1998, Isacson said.

The combination of Savannah's climate, education facilities such as Georgia Tech and the Savannah College of Art and Design, and organizations such as Georgia Tech's Advanced Technology Development Center and The Creative Coast Initiative give Savannah the potential to develop new start-ups that can compete on the global market, Isacson said.

Particularly excited about Isacson's arrival is Chris Miller, executive director of The Creative Coast, a nonprofit organization that aids start-ups and attracts knowledge-based businesses to the area. Miller said Connect was similar to the Creative Coast, but for the whole country of Sweden as opposed to one region. Getting Isacson to focus on the Southeast should prove beneficial.

"He is bringing a whole new mind set and approach, not just from a local level but a national level." Miller said.